Table 1.

Age-adjusted baseline characteristics of participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study by quintiles of the total carotenoid score^* in 1986

	Total carotenoid Score
	Quintile 1	Quintile 3	Quintile 5
Age (years, mean)†	54	54	54
Body mass index (kg/m2, mean)	25.6	25.4	25.3
Current smokers (%)	12%	7%	5%
Pack years of smoking before age 30 (years, mean)	6	5	5
Physical activity (METs/wk‡, mean)	17	21	27
Family history of colorectal cancer (%)	8%	9%	10%
Current aspirin user ( ≥ 2 times /week) (%)	29%	29%	28%
Current multivitamin user (%)	35%	41%	47%
Nondrinkers of alcohol(%)	23%	21%	23%
Mean daily intake
Energy (Kcal)	2019	1968	1965
Processed meat (servings)	0.46	0.35	0.23
Red meat§ (servings)	0.73	0.6	0.44
Alcohol among drinkers (g)	17	14	11
Calcium with supplements (mg)	857	894	961
Vitamin D with supplements (IU)	358	408	464
Dietary fiber (g)	17	21	27
Folate with supplements (µg)	386	479	591

^*The total carotenoid score was derived from summing the quintile scores for total β-carotene intake and dietary intakes of α-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin

^†Value is not age adjusted

^‡Physical activity was estimated as the sum of the average time/week spent in each activity × the MET value for that activity. MET stands for metabolic equivalent and is defined as the ratio of the work metabolic rate to a standard resting metabolic rate ((caloric need/kg body weight/hour activity)/(caloric need/kg body weight/hour at rest) ).

^§Red meat corresponds to intake of beef, pork or lamb as a main dish.